The need to reduce automotive fuel consumption and emissions is well known. Therefore, vehicles are being developed that either reduce or completely eliminate reliance on internal combustion engines. Electrified vehicles are one type of vehicle being developed for this purpose. In general, electrified vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles because they are selectively driven by one or more battery powered electric machines. Conventional motor vehicles, by contrast, rely exclusively on the internal combustion engine to propel the vehicle.
The powertrain of an electrified vehicle is typically equipped with a high voltage battery pack that includes one or more battery arrays. Each battery array includes a grouping of battery cells that store electric power for powering the electric machines and other electric loads of the vehicle. The battery cells must be reliably connected to one another in order to achieve the voltage and power levels necessary for powering these electric loads. Bus bars and other devices are commonly used to sufficiently connect the battery cells.